England v New Zealand 2nd Test Day 4: Joe Root the Only Hope as New Zealand Close in on Victory

The Story of the Match

ENGLAND were set a world record 463 runs to win the 2nd Rothesay Test Match at the KIA Oval when Emilio Gay and Ben Duckett came out to open the England 2nd innings at 2.25 pm on the fourth day afternoon with 146 overs remaining to be bowled in the match, while New Zealand needed 10 wickets to level the three match series with one Test to play. The day ended with the result of the Test Match in the balance with England ending the day on 182 for 5 from 48 overs still requiring 281 to win while New Zealand needed a further 5 wickets for victory. New Zealand were in the driving seat but England still had Joe Root 75 not out with 281 runs needed.

New Zealand ended the third day of the 2nd Rothesay Test Match at the KIA Oval in a very commanding position with two days of the match remaining to be played, on 252 for 3 from 56 overs with Henry Nicholls 119 not out from 164 balls with sixteen boundary fours and Daryl Mitchell on 32 not out from 43 balls with one boundary six and three boundary fours. The lead was 352 runs with 7 wickets in hand.

In the first over of the morning, bowled by Jofra Archer, Daryl Mitchell was dropped by Harry Brook at first slip before the New Zealand batter had added to his overnight total. Then in Archer's next over he had Henry Nicholls, who only added 2 runs to his overnight score, caught at second slip by Harry Brook off a tricky Archer delivery for 121 runs from 171 balls with sixteen boundary fours when the total reached 261 for 4 from 58.1 overs. The lead at the fall of the 4th wicket was 361 runs.

Daryl Mitchell was then joined by wicketkeeper Tom Blundell, and the pair added 29 runs before Tom Blundell was caught behind by James Rew off Josh Tongue for 16 runs from 40 balls with one boundary four. Then Glenn Phillips came in to partner Daryl Mitchell, and he scored just 3 runs from 10 balls before he was well caught by Jacob Bethell off Jofra Archer when the total had reached 307 for 6 from 70.2 overs.

Daryl Mitchell was then partnered by Nathan Smith, and the pair took the New Zealand total to 345 for 6 from 81 overs at lunch. At that time Daryl Mitchell was 66 not out from 102 balls with one boundary six and nine boundary fours and Nathan Smith 30 not out from 35 balls with one boundary six and four boundary fours. At lunch New Zealand led by 445 runs.

After lunch New Zealand continued to score quick runs, but Daryl Mitchell was dismissed, bowled by Matt Fisher for 68 runs from 108 balls with one boundary six and nine boundary fours when the total was 349 for 7 from 82.3 overs. Nathan Smith was then joined by Kyle Jamieson, and the pair took the score to 355 for 8 from 85 overs when Jamieson was clean bowled by Matt Fisher for 6 runs from 9 balls with one boundary four.

New Zealand lost their 9th wicket when Nathan Smith top edged Matt Fisher and was well caught by Emilio Gay when he had reached 38 runs from 51 balls with one boundary six and five boundary fours when the total was 362 for 9 from 87 overs. New Zealand's last pair Matt Henry and Will O'Rourke did not add any further runs for the last wicket as Matt Henry was caught by Ben Duckett off Sonny Baker for 1 run from 6 balls when the total was 362 all out. Will O'Rourke remained 0 not out. England's pick of the bowlers was Matt Fisher 3 for 58, Jofra Archer 3 for 62 and Josh Tongue 2 for 64. New Zealand led by 462 runs so England needed a world record 463 runs to win the Test Match and they had a day and two sessions to win the match. England had dropped six catches in the two innings in the field which was poor.

England openers Emilio Gay and Ben Duckett took the score to 13 when Emilio Gay was caught smartly by Rachin Ravindra off the bowling of Kyle Jamieson for 11 runs from 14 balls with two boundary fours. Jacob Bethell failed yet again as he lasted only four balls before he was lbw to Kyle Jamieson for a duck when the total was 13 for 2 from 4 overs. His 154 against Australia in Sydney seems a long time ago.

Ben Duckett, 1 not out from 6 balls, was then joined by the acting skipper Joe Root. Joe Root reached 14,000 runs in Tests when he reached 2 not out and he lifted his bat to acknowledge the applause from the KIA Oval crowd after the statistic was announced over the public address system. Ben Duckett was caught by Matt Henry at mid on off the bowling of Will O'Rourke for 9 runs from 28 balls with one boundary four with England reeling on 40 for 3 from 13.1 overs and in serious trouble. England reached their 50 in 15.5 overs just before tea.

It was New Zealand's afternoon session as England continued to falter with the top three batters back in the dressing room by tea, when England had reached 54 for 3 from 16 overs with Joe Root 24 not out from 40 balls with four boundary fours and Harry Brook 9 not out from 10 balls with two boundary fours.

England trailed New Zealand by 409 runs with only 7 wickets remaining at tea and had one day and one session remaining of the match. After tea Root and Brook achieved a 50 run partnership for the 4th wicket from 42 balls with Root contributing 22 runs and Brook 28 runs.

Harry Brook achieved his 50 runs from 33 balls with one boundary six and ten boundary fours. It was Brook's quickest ever Test 50. In the next over Matt Henry trapped Joe Root lbw but the decision by Adrian Holdstock the umpire was challenged and overturned, so Root remained at the wicket and at that point he was on 45.

Joe Root achieved his 50 from 81 balls with eight boundary fours when he stroked Kyle Jamieson to third man for four. Brook was trapped lbw by Matt Henry but again the decision by umpire Holdstock was overturned in England's favour when Brook was on 54. England lost their 4th wicket at 137 for 4 when Harry Brook edged a drive from Matt Henry to Daryl Mitchell who took the catch at first slip. Brook scored 58 runs from 54 balls with one boundary six and ten boundary fours. Brook and Root added 97 for the 4th wicket partnership.

Joe Root was England's only hope as the next remaining batters were the debutants James Rew and Jordan Cox, otherwise New Zealand would then be into the bowlers. James Rew was lbw to Kyle Jamieson for 15 runs from 39 balls with two boundary fours when the total was 180 for 5 from 45.3 overs. Joe Root was 73 not out when Jordan Cox came in at number 7. At the close Joe Root was 75 not out from 137 balls with eight boundary fours and Jordan Cox was 0 not out from 11 balls. England ended the fourth day on 182 for 5 from 48 overs still needing 281 runs to win while New Zealand needed 5 more wickets for victory.

Author's Standout Players

• Joe Root (England) - England's only realistic hope of an improbable chase, unbeaten on 75 from 137 balls with eight boundary fours, reaching his fifty from 81 balls and bringing up 14,000 Test runs during a 97-run fourth-wicket stand with Brook
• Harry Brook (England) - Briefly threatened to make the world record target look possible with 58 from 54 balls, including the quickest ever Test fifty by an England batter from just 33 deliveries
• Daryl Mitchell (New Zealand) - 68 useful runs including ten boundaries to extend New Zealand's already commanding lead in the morning and early afternoon
• Nathan Smith (New Zealand) - A brisk 38 from 51 balls with six boundaries that helped push the lead beyond reach
• Matt Fisher (England) - 3 for 58 to follow his 2 for 62 in the first innings, capping a fine all-round match alongside his unbeaten fifty batting at number nine
• Kyle Jamieson (New Zealand) - 3 for 37 with the new ball, removing Gay, Bethell and Rew to leave England in deep trouble in their chase